Epicenter of the Renaissance

Written by Wisconsin Lutheran College student Austin Veach, who is studying in Italy during J Term with WLC classmates and Dr. Martin Moldenhauer, Associate Professor of English.

Bright and early Monday morning, a group of sleepy pilgrims hit the rails once again to travel to the epicenter of the Renaissance, Florence. Our first stop in Firenze, as the Italians call it, brought us to a humble church called Santa Trinita. The famous Sassetti Chapel within the church painted by Ghirlandaio, as we had learned from the professors before entering, brought historical figures to life with frescoes featuring accurate portrayals of people such as Il Magnifico himself, Lorenzo de’ Medici, whose powerful bank helped fund the restoration of the church as well as much of the great feats of art that helped spring the Renaissance into life.

The crown of the city, the great dome of the Cathedral of Florence, watched over us as we made our way along the cobbled streets of a city much more lively and energetic than Assisi and Orvieto. More than any Italian city we had visited thus far, Florence demonstrated that peculiar contrast that comes from the blending of an ancient past with the realities of the present. Tall, centuries-old obelisks and statues looked over Gucci stores while Vespas hummed across ornate bridges built during the Renaissance.

As the Arno River sparkled past us, the group traveled from the Pitti Palace of the Medicis over the bejeweled Ponte Vecchio, stopping to admire the jewelry shops before making its way to the courtyard of the Ufizzi Gallery. Here, famous Florentine figures from our history books such as Machiavelli, Dante, Petrarch, and Donatello hopped up onto stone pedestals, enthroned for us to be able to see them all together in one place. Next door, the Palazzo Vecchio wowed the group with its impressive size and collection of Medici commissioned statues.

All this time, the great Duomo of Florence continued to watch over us until we were finally able to meets its gaze at the steps of its entrance. The colored pink and green stone, intricate arches, detailed statues, and bright stained glass helped make the exterior of this cathedral just as much of a work of art as if it had been painted on an enormous piece of canvas. The amount of detail coupled with the daring endeavors of the designers to work on such a grand scale pushed any of its beholders to feel its beauty, in addition to witnessing it.

Dropping back to earth from the heights of Brunelleschi’s famous dome, our eyes and attention landed in our final Florentine destination, the central market. Here, Dr. Moldenhauer introduced us to Daniella, the friendly fluent vendor of fine Florentine leather. Here the group split up to roam the market with all of its treasures and wander the streets in search of gelato. At the end to a long and adventurous day, we pilgrims followed in Dante’s footsteps and exited Florence as he did, hoping to one day return.